General Framework and Algorithm for Data Rate Maximization in DSL Networks

In this paper, we treat the combined signal and spectrum coordination problem in digital subscriber line (DSL) networks with linear design for transmitters and receivers. The transmission is modeled as a multitone MIMO system where each user has a number of transceivers and there is coordination between sets of users on the transmitter and on the receiver sides. We consider the possibility of an asynchronous transmission, i.e. when the transmission of DMT blocks for different users is not aligned in time. This gives rise to inter-carrier interference. Our objective is the maximization of the weighted sum of users´ data rates subject to power constraints. Although this problem is well known in the literature, previous works have always based their designs on strong assumptions about the network infrastructure. In this paper, we propose a general framework and algorithm that apply for any infrastructure, including any number of users, any number of transceivers, any number of tones, any kind of coordination on both the transmitter and on the receiver sides, and synchronous or asynchronous transmission. We also do not assume any special structure of the channel matrix. Our algorithm is seen to perform very well and is polynomial time solvable.